`The Body' has eye on tackling White House in 2008

[Freddie Stubbs]

By Elisabeth J. Beardsley
Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Wrestler-turned-politician Jesse Ventura all but threw his hat into the 2008 presidential ring yesterday - and said he's already decided to tap basketball star Charles Barkley as a running mate.

And he said he's not kidding. ``Everyone laughs,'' he said. ``They told me in Minnesota a wrestler couldn't become governor, and I proved them wrong.''

The foray came as Ventura, the former governor of Minnesota, came to the State House to lobby for gay marriage.

Bragging he bucked the old-school political system by appointing 73 judges without knowing a single one, Ventura said he's ``setting up for 2008.''

http://news.bostonherald.com/national/view.bg?articleid=1479

[flakey_foont]

1. First Order of business if he gets elected

steroids made legal

[trotsky]

He'll never win.

He could never pull off what he did in Minnesota, because in '98 the voters of Minnesota didn't know much about him.

Now he's got his Playboy interview in the public record. (By the way, I agreed with most of what he said in that interview.) But when an official is on record as saying that "religion is a crutch for the weak-minded," his chances at national office are pretty slim.

[Supormom]

6. Actually, we knew him very well in 1998.

Most of the people I know who voted for Ventura were voting against the Dem and Repug candidates. They were quite surprised when he won!

[trotsky]

11. That's weird, I have found the complete opposite.

A couple of guys I work with voted for him, and regretted it the rest of his term. It's true, Skip Humphrey ran a lousy campaign, and people just didn't like Nammie Coleman (he needed to exploit the death of his opponent to win). Jesse was a protest vote, and there's a good reason he didn't run for re-election: he would have been soundly defeated.

I greatly admired him for his pro-choice and church-state stances, but that was about it.

[Nlighten1]

2. Will Jessie get Nader'ed?

I bet he does.

[THUNDER HANDS]

3. cool

I have to admit, a Ventura-Barkley ticket would be fun to watch.

[theHandpuppet]

9. Unless you're a gay American

Jesse may be gay-friendly, but in every interview of Barclay I've seen in which the subject of gays has been mentioned, Barclay the Repuglithug has come across as a blatant and disgusting homophobe of the first order.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. Three words for the former Gov.

Good fucking luck!

[qb]

5. He defends atheists, he defends gays, he defends abortion,

and he panders to no one. I could think of worse things than a Ventura presidency.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

7. I would rather see The Nature Boy Ric Flair run.

To be the man you have to beat the man. WOOOOOOOOOOO!

[flakey_foont]

8. A few years back, actually

there was some speculation that Flair would run for Governor of North Carolina..........

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

12. Can you imagine his stump speeches?

[BOHICA06]

10. He would draw at Perot or Wallace level....

couldn't win, but might throw the election to the House if he picks up one or two states.

[Freddie Stubbs]

18. I'm not so sure

His record as Governor wasn't exactly stellar. He didn't even bother running for a second term.

[snippy]

13. This is what happens when you let some chimp with a shirk ethic

be president.

[Odallas]

14. I laughed at his run for Governor in '98

until I saw one of the debates. He is honest, straight forward and obviously very courageous. He couldn't accomplish anything as Gov of Minnesota because the corrupt legislators tied his hands (what they said they would do once he was elected). OBVIOUSLY, we can do much worse.

[meti57b]

15. I can see it all now ....jessie ventura and ahnold schvantzenagger ...

(after orin hatch gets that Constitutional amendment to let him run), both running for president.

[Tommy_Douglas]

19. Geez what a sad day...

If Jessie ran against Ahnold... I mean would the debates be on PPV?

I think I'd just openly revolt if my countries political process was nothing more then a poorly scripted hollywood movie.

[onehandle]

16. Over my dead....

...body.

Anyway, President Kerry will kick his ass to get his second term.

[loftycity]

17. He did get something done for the people.

And against all those half witted Twits. At least we got Light Rail.